Seimene
by Alhendra
Summary: The fights between Ron and Draco have reached a peak and Dumbledore decides to take action. And so Ron and Draco have to undergo several tests - but the outcome might surprise everyone especially Ron and Draco themselves! Slash R/D
1. Punished

Seimene  
  
Chapter 1: Punished  
  
A/n's: I have to admit, I adore R/D.  
  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all the other characters do not belong to me, if they did, I'd have had them do this in the book long ago.  
  
***  
  
Draco glared at Ron and Ron glared back.  
  
"At least," Draco hissed. "At least, I'm not so lacking in attention that I go sucking up to Potter to lick some of his off."  
  
Hardly thinking, Ron raised his arm and launched his blue eagle at Draco. Terror gripped Draco as he saw the huge eagle descending on him, talons outstretched, beak open, ready to tear his flesh mercilessly.  
  
Just before the terror obliterated his brain, a shadow collided with Ron's eagle. Almost dizzy with relief, Draco realized that his eagle had intercepted Ron's and were now swooping around each other hostilely.  
  
The anger in Draco's brain grew and grew. ~He tried to kill me. Weasley tried to kill me.~ He whipped out his wand and pointed it at Ron. "Serpentosortia!" he hissed. An emerald green snake shot out of the wand, and it rushed straight at Ron, with incredible speed.  
  
Several students screamed. Some scrambled away from it, others were rooted to the spot with horror. Ron stood paralysed, until the snake was almost upon him. Then with a cry he leapt backwards, tripping upon himself, so that as he lay sprawled, eyes fixed on the snake, it rushed ever closer, and he didn't have the presence of mind to even think of drawing his wand.  
  
"Finite Incantatem!" To Draco's disappointment, the snake disappeared just as it was about to sink its fangs into Ron's leg. "Expelliarmus!" Draco's wand shot out of his hands, and he raised his gaze straight into Miss McGonagall's livid eyes.  
  
As Draco's anger drained out of him, he could only think of one word.  
  
~Shit.~  
  
***  
  
Draco and Ron glared daggers at each other.  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat. They both dragged away their gazes and looked at the headmaster, to hear his verdict and the punishment they would be receiving.  
  
"Well," he said mildly. "This has gone beyond just rivalry. When two of my students start truly trying to kill each other off," here again Draco glared mutinously at Ron, who glared back with just as much venom, "during Care of Magical Creatures, drastic measures have to be taken."  
  
Dumbledore pressed his fingertips together. "Follow me. Your 'punishment' awaits, although I would not call it so, more of an undertaking so that..."  
  
Miss McGonagall cleared her throat loudly. "Ah yes. Quite right, Minerva," Dumbledore continued. "Follow me boys, to your punishment."  
  
***  
  
Ron glared suspiciously at the surface of the mirror. Its surface was a murky grey, but ever since Harry's recital of the incident with the Mirror of Erised and the Philosopher's stone, he had become understandably cautious with mirrors.  
  
"So what do we have to do?" he said.  
  
"Simple," Dumbledore beamed at them. "Walk inside the mirror."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Just that, my dear boy. Both of you will go in. And then you'll have to come out again."  
  
"What's the catch?" Draco asked.  
  
"There is no catch. You will just have to find a way of coming back here."  
  
"I presume that you are not giving us any clues as to how we do that then," Draco sighed. "What if we don't find a way?"  
  
"Nonsense!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "You are both bright, you'll find a way of coming back - somehow."  
  
"Somehow?" Ron squeaked. "I'm going to be locked with him in a mirror and I might be coming back - somehow?!?"  
  
"Enough arguing!" Miss McGonagall snapped. "That's your punishment, so now go in!"  
  
Draco and Ron glared at each other again, each daring each other to step in first.  
  
"Fine," Draco said, facing the mirror suddenly. "Just peachy. I'll just step in, and perhaps I'll see you all again. Weasley, be my guest not to follow me. I could do without your presence."  
  
Head high, and back straight, Draco suddenly walked up to the mirror and stepped into it. The surface shone blue as he touched it, and he passed through it as easily as walking through water. Then Draco was gone, but the surface remained turquoise.  
  
"You now, Ron."  
  
Ron squared his shoulder. Dumbledore wouldn't let them walk into any danger would he? He walked up to the mirror, and with the thought in mind, walked straight into it.  
  
***  
  
As the icy feeling of stepping through the mirror dissipated, Ron found himself in a forest, with the sun shining overhead, and butterflies flying around.  
  
"So the Weasel finally deigned to join us on our unofficial tour of the other side of the world. How kind," came a dry voice from his left.  
  
Ron spun and came face to face with his arch nemesis, Draco Malfoy. "Don't start with the smartness Malfoy."  
  
"Excuse me? This is all your fault, so I'm going to do what I please, Weasley."  
  
"*My* fault? If you hadn't been such an arrogant prick..."  
  
"That eagle could have killed me!"  
  
"I like that! What about the snake?"  
  
"I sent that after you'd tried killing me first!"  
  
"And pity it didn't work! We'd have gotten rid of you, and good riddance!"  
  
"I'm not the one who goes around with mudbloods for friends and..."  
  
Ron's fist collided with Malfoy's nose, and he leapt on him, punching and kicking him. Malfoy staggered back, hands clutching his nose. It wasn't that Malfoy wasn't a good fighter. But Ron had taken him by surprise, and his nose was currently sending enough pain impulses to his brain to stop his brain from functioning properly.  
  
"Well well," a laughing voice said from behind Ron. Ron stopped punching Draco and looked at the source of the voice.  
  
There floated, a few feet above the ground, a vision with pale blue glass for skin, and dancing sapphires for eyes.  
  
"Who are you?" Ron asked releasing Draco's robes uncertainly. The vision laughed.  
  
"Why, I'm the mirror of course!" The voice sounded like a waterfall to their ears, and now Ron's eyes perceived that the person was wearing nothing, and yet appeared sexless.  
  
"The mirror? But we're inside it!"  
  
"Exactly! I'm its spirit," the vision chirped. It waved its hand, and Draco stopped clutching his nose in agony, and looked up, blinking.  
  
"I'm so glad you two have come!" the spirit said happily. "I haven't had much company for a long time. The last two to visit me where Severus and Sirius, and that was such a long time ago. I'm glad that I have some new..."  
  
"Severus? As in Severus Snape?" Draco asked bewildered.  
  
"And Sirius Black?"  
  
"The very ones! They too had to undergo these tests, and it worked fine for them, even though," and here the vision pressed its finger to the side of its nose and winked, "it turned out more surprising for both of them then they could ever have imagined."  
  
"Huh? What tests?"  
  
The spirit laughed again. "I wonder if you two will be as much fun as they were! The tests you will undergo to escape from me, silly."  
  
"What will we have to do?" Ron asked apprehensively.  
  
The mirror winked again. "Can't tell you that! It would spoil all the fun! And there's a lot of fun to come yet! Now - I have to leave you my dears."  
  
"Wait!" Draco said. "What do we have to do? You can't leave us like this."  
  
"You'll have to search for how to escape on your own I'm afraid! And *do* remember that this is the only time that I've healed your nose. In here, you cannot break your bones or be gravely injured, but that doesn't mean you won't feel the pain. Something else - think about my name! To ever escape from here, you will have to guess my name!"  
  
"And how are we supposed to do that?" Draco asked exasperatedly. "You could be called anything! We don't even know if you're male or female!"  
  
"Dear, dear," the mirror sighed. "Think! I'm a mirror, not a human."  
  
"And how long do we have to stay here?"  
  
The spirit clicked its tongue in exasperation. "You really do not listen do you? Oh well.Severus and Sirius were worse when they arrived - you will have to finish the quests before you leave."  
  
"And how long will that take us?"  
  
"Until you figure out the answers of course! And that might be as short as a few days..."  
  
"Days?!?"  
  
"...or it could take you a lifetime! Now I really must go!!"  
  
And as soon as the words were out of its mouth, the spirit disappeared. Leaving Ron and Draco alone together, staring in horror at each other.  
  
"A lifetime?!?"  
  
***  
  
"This," Ron announced to the world in general, "is just bloody brilliant." After some bickering over the general direction which to take, Ron and Draco had set off down a path, eyeing each other with both suspicion and much dislike.  
  
"Oh stop your whining Weasel," Draco said irritably. Tempers were frayed and both boys were longing to lunge at each other's throats again. "I suppose you think *my* idea of fun is being stuck with you here," he waved his hand indicating their surroundings, "wherever here may be."  
  
"This is all your fault, so you have no right to complain." Ron glared at the blond.  
  
"*You* were the one who tried killing me off in the first place."  
  
"And *you* started the whole fight as usual. If you were less of a..."  
  
"Oh let's not go over that again," Draco snapped. "It's useless anyway. Now we're here might as well see how to get out again. Though I'd much rather I was on my own. At least I'd be spared a headache."  
  
"You're free to go your own way any time you want, Malfoy."  
  
"This is the way I want to go."  
  
"Well fancy that, that's my path as well. So you're going to have to decide whether to change your course or enjoy my company."  
  
They glared at each other again, but neither boy strayed from the wide path. Both boys were without wands, and felt strangely helpless without them - since both were purebloods, both had spent their lives surrounded in a magical environment. Neither quite knew what to do without it.  
  
They had been walking for a long time now. Ron was feeling tired, but Malfoy was still walking, and he wasn't going to give the shorter boy the satisfaction of admitting his tiredness. Doggedly, both boys kept on walking, until the shadows lengthened, and the sun was going down.  
  
Abruptly, Draco stopped walking, and crossed his hands haughtily.  
  
"I," he declared, "am not moving another step tonight."  
  
Ron smirked at him. "Tired Malfoy? My, pretty boy is quite a weakling."  
  
"*You're* just as tired yourself, Weasel. Unless you always walk that slow."  
  
"I could keep going on!"  
  
"*Fine*! Go ahead and do it then. You go on while I stay here. At least I'll be rid of you!"  
  
Ron turned his back on Draco and strode one. Who did he think he was? Stuck up, lousy son of a...  
  
He noticed the deepening shadows, and felt a twinge of apprehension. He cast a look behind him, but a bend in the road and the trees lining the path hid Malfoy from sight.  
  
Well, he wasn't about to wait for him. He'd stop in a bit, but there was still a bit of the day left and he wanted to finish the stupid mission and get...  
  
A howl stopped him in his tracks. Swallowing, he cast looks around him. There were wolves in here? What had Dumbledore been thinking of?!?  
  
After a few moments of standing still, his ears strained for any other howls, Ron moved forward slowly and apprehensively. He must have imagined it. Yes. The rustling of the leaves on the trees by the wind and the silence was probably getting to him. He must have imagined...  
  
Abruptly another howl rent the air. Throwing dignity to the winds, Ron ran back to where he had left Draco. At least in the company of another - even if it *was* Malfoy - had to better. And if the worse came to the worse he could always feed Draco to the wolves while he tried to escape.  
  
As the path turned a sharp bend, Ron collided with a fast moving person moving in the opposite direction, and in a flurry of limbs and robes they ended on the floor.  
  
Untangling himself, Ron looked at the person underneath him - ~Perhaps there's someone else apart from me and that git!~ - and then realized who the silver blond hair belonged to.  
  
"What the hell were you doing?" he yelled at Malfoy. "I thought you weren't going to move another step!"  
  
"Much as I know this must be getting you all excited," Draco replied breathlessly but still scathingly, "I'd appreciate it if you'd get off me and all."  
  
Ron flushed and scrambled to his feet. "Next time, Malfoy, watch where you're going."  
  
Malfoy raised his eyebrows. "I presume that *you* have the right to charge around like a rampant Blast Ended Skrewt with no care for anyone else."  
  
"I wasn't expecting to bump into anyone!"  
  
"Well neither was I! What were you doing, anyway? I thought you had decided to go on without me."  
  
"Well I.I thought Dumbledore wouldn't be very happy if I returned to Hogwarts and you remained here," Ron said, thinking very fast. He wasn't about to admit that he had been scared.  
  
"Oh really? Coming back for me a bit fast weren't you?" Malfoy smirked.  
  
"*You* weren't exactly moving at a snail's pace!" The smile was wiped off Malfoy's face swiftly.  
  
"Never mind that now," he said hastily. He looked around him and shivered. "It's cold and I'm hungry."  
  
"Can't take a bit of hardship Malfoy?"  
  
"Oh I forgot," Draco replied nastily. "You must be used to cold and hunger. Well just in case you've forgotten, I'm NOT."  
  
Ron clenched his fists, but refrained from rising to the bait. He too, was feeling the cold and the pangs of hunger. "I guess that's edible," he pointed doubtfully to a tree bearing apples.  
  
Malfoy made a face. "Yuk.God only knows who's touched them. Isn't there anything else around?"  
  
"Just look around Malfoy," Ron said sarcastically. "I'm sure you'll find a couple of trays of roast chicken and potatoes if you look hard enough."  
  
Malfoy gave him a look and crossed his hands again. "Fine. If we're going to eat the dregs, nothing for it. But I'm going to complain to my father as soon as we get out of here."  
  
Ron looked at him in disgust. "Yeah, hide behind your father's apron strings. You can't do anything for yourself." He strode over to the tree and stretched for one of the fruit, but they were too high up. He jumped, and after a couple of tries, managed to grab an apple.  
  
He bit into it with relish, loving the juicy taste.  
  
"Well?" came the sharp question from behind him.  
  
"Well what?"  
  
"Get me one," the command came. Ron gave Malfoy a look.  
  
"I am not one of your personal slaves to boss around, Malfoy," he shot at him. "Get your own apples."  
  
"I can't. You're taller." To his astonishment, Ron thought he detected a pink tinge in Malfoy's cheeks. Nah, he decided, had to be the funny work of shadows.  
  
"Oh very well. I don't think Dumbledore would be too pleased if I let you starve, even though the rest of the school would probably love me for it," Ron grumbled, as he reached up for another apple. In the end, eh got several more, as one was obviously not enough to assuage either boy's hunger.  
  
"Where are we going to sleep?" Malfoy asked, as their hunger had finally been appeased, as the apple cores strewn round them showed clearly.  
  
Ron sighed. "Honestly, Malfoy. Can't you think of anything yourself? I doubt we're gonna find any comfortable four poster beds any time soon in this place. I guess we'll have to do with sleeping here, on the ground."  
  
"But it's freezing!" Malfoy protested.  
  
"There's nothing I can do about that!" Ron replied. He looked around, then threw himself down next to a rather large boulder. "Night." He heard some muttering from the Slytherin, and then Draco lay down some way off him.  
  
Soon, despite the cold, both fell asleep, and neither heard the sounds of the forest at night.  
  
A little way off, the mirror floated, looking at them. A small smile played around its lips. Why.these two were so alike to Severus and Sirius.who knew, they might turn out the same as well. 


	2. Reconciliation

Seimene  
  
Chapter 2: Reconciliation  
  
A/n's: Hey everyone!! Sorry this took ages but Uni work is not leaving me any time to myself anymore ( and when I actually get some free time I'm usually so tired that I can't find the energy to write. In fact, this has been written for ages, I just haven't posted it (I don't think I can write any new stuff at the moment, damn uni ( )  
  
Thanks to all the reviewers, you make my day! ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: Characters not mine, plot is. ^_^  
  
***  
  
Ron opened his eyes, and for one moment, was horribly lost. Where was he? Then it all came rushing back to him, and he groaned. He sat up, rubbing his back. Then he looked around for Draco.  
  
The person in question was sitting down, back to the boulder, his eyes were fixed sulkily on Ron.  
  
"I had an awful night," he announced as soon as Ron sat up. "I was frozen, the ground was hard and I kept being woken up."  
  
"Well, I had a brilliant night," Ron replied irritably. He was never in a good mood in the mornings, and Malfoy wasn't exactly his most favorite person to see whatever time of day. As an added bonus he felt stiff all over.  
  
He clambered to his feet and stretched, bones aching.  
  
"I guess we'll just have to continue walking today," he said dispiritedly.  
  
"Get some more apples," Draco ordered. Ron glared at him.  
  
"A please wouldn't hurt you know," he told him irritably. Then he slouched towards the tree.  
  
"What I wouldn't give for my house elves right now," Draco said as he bit into the apple Ron tossed him. Ron didn't reply, just wished fervently that he could be suddenly transported to his comfortable bed.  
  
After some time, they set off once more. After a bit, Ron's spirits lifted. It was nice and sunny, and looked to be a beautiful day. Even Draco looked less gloomy as they walked along.  
  
Ron walked a few paces before Draco, wondering what they'd have to do to emerge from the mirror, and wondering what the name of the mirror could be, when he suddenly he bumped into something and fell back.  
  
He blinked up at the air. There was nothing in front of him, yet he had most definitely hit something. Behind him, he could hear Malfoy's laughter.  
  
"Falling over our own feet now, Weasley? You're such an...ow!" Draco found himself sitting on his butt, like Ron, staring at thin air.  
  
"Who's falling over himself now?" Ron smirked. He stood up and placed his hands in front of him. They encountered a smooth invisible barrier. Malfoy came next to him, and did the same.  
  
"Ah. A spirit shield." Draco frowned. "The only way to break these is with a key." He cast a look around him. "I sure hope the mirror was kind enough to leave one lying here somewhere, because I don't really feel like walking it all the way back."  
  
"What kind of key?" Ron asked him.  
  
"A huge door key of course," Malfoy said sarcastically. He cast Ron a withering look. "It's like a long silver rod."  
  
They started looking around for it.  
  
"Perhaps if we go parallel with the shield we'll find the end of it," Ron said hopefully, not seeing any rods lying around. Draco shook his head.  
  
"No. Shields like this are usually...hey! Don't tell me..." he strode off from where they had just come.  
  
"What? What's happened?" Ron called after him. Draco didn't reply. After a few paces he stopped, and put his hands out, and going forward more cautiously. After a bit he encountered a barrier once more.  
  
"Just as I thought," he said, letting his hands drop to his side. "Spirit shields are usually designed to keep prisoners in, Weasley. They're usually in the form of a dome, with a diameter of about ten feet, and we've just been imprisoned in one."  
  
"Bloody brilliant. How are we getting out then?" The blond shrugged.  
  
"Unless we find a key conveniently lying around here, there's no way we're getting out unless someone lets us out."  
  
"Fine. Let's hope there's a key here then." He started searching.  
  
"Why would they imprison us with a key?" Malfoy said disbelievingly. But he started searching as well, though admittedly not very hard.  
  
Five minutes later, they had given up already. Ron had walked into the shield about three times already, forgetting where it was, and his temper was getting a bit frayed. They had found no rods anywhere on the ground or even within the bushes.  
  
Malfoy sat down on the ground. "This is hopeless. We're just gonna have to stay here until we're let out. Let's hope the mirror comes for a chitchat soon. Get us a couple more apples Weasley."  
  
Ron glared at him again. "You know, you could do with some manners. I'm not your slave."  
  
"Yeah whatever. Just get the apples." Ron rolled his eyes, but complied. As he stretched to get the apples, he saw a gleam of silver in the trees.  
  
"Hey! I think I've found the rod!" Malfoy was next to him in a second. "Yes, that's it Weasley. Get it now."  
  
Ron shot him a look. "And how do you propose I do that? The rod too high for me to reach, and there are no low branches I can climb on."  
  
"Let's try dislodging it with a few apples."  
  
"Good idea."  
  
"Of course. I thought of it." Ron rolled his eyes at Draco's comment, but took aim and tried to make the rod fall.  
  
However, a few minutes later, even Dracp would have admitted it was not such a good idea. The rod was somehow stuck in place. When they hit it, the apples rebounded back, instead of the rod falling.  
  
"This is crazy," Malfoy said, rubbing his forehead, where an apple had hit him after hitting the rod. "I hit it *hard*, it was supposed to fall!"  
  
Ron stopped laughing. "I guess we're going to have to climb the tree after all. Here, if you give me a leg up I think I'll be able to reach the lowest branch."  
  
Malfoy looked at him incredulously. "Give you a leg up? Me? To you? Are you crazy?"  
  
"Look, do you want we get out of here or what?" Ron said exasperatedly. "You can climb the tree then."  
  
"And *dirty* myself like that?" Draco sounded horrified. Ron buried his face in his hands.  
  
"I can't believe it! Look who I had to get stuck in here with! It's not as if you haven't spent the night on the ground already!"  
  
"That's no reason to dirty myself unnecessarily!"  
  
"Arrgh...just...just kneel down and place your hands on the ground already Malfoy!"  
  
"And why should I do that?" came the haughty question.  
  
"So that I can use you back as a step and I'll be able to climb the tree, that's why!" For a few moments they glared at each other.  
  
"Oh fine, as long as you're not going to rape me or anything," Draco acceded. "I guess it's better than staying here with you all day."  
  
"I don't know about your leanings Malfoy, but I'm definitely straight. And besides, I wouldn't be sick enough to like you, of all people," Ron said, as he lightly stepped onto Malfoy's back and reached for the lowest branch. He swung himself up, and climbed agilely.  
  
His hands closed over the rod in no time at all. He climbed down again, and jumped to the ground. He bent over it, studying it, and was joined by Malfoy.  
  
"Ok, so, we got the key. Now how do we use it?" Ron asked. The rod was beautiful, slender and cool to the touch. It was pointed at one end, and there were engravings all over it.  
  
"Uh...I don't know," Malfoy admitted. Ron stared at him.  
  
"You don't know how to use it?" He threw up his hands. "Then why did we go to all the trouble of getting it?"  
  
"Hey, my father never told me how to use these Rods of Access," Draco said defensively. "At least I know about them, which is more than you do."  
  
"Wait. This is a Rod of Access? You could have said so before! I remember something about these...let me see..."  
  
"How would you know anything about them if you haven't even ever seen one?" Draco asked disbelievingly.  
  
"Shut up. I read about them once. Oh yes...they're supposed to be inserted into some centre of power, and then certain words recited."  
  
"What words?"  
  
"Oblittero Aegis. But what's the centre of power?"  
  
"Oh that's easy. Come. Here." Malfoy walked a few paces and then knelt down, searching for something with his fingers. "Ah. Found it."  
  
Ron saw that there was a misty dome whose diameter was about 5 inches, with a slight indentation at the top.  
  
"Ah. Ok then. Now, when I insert the rod there, you say Oblittero Aegis, ok?"  
  
"Can't you say it yourself?"  
  
"Malfoy, I'm not asking you to dance around naked for Merlin's sake," Ron felt like hitting the shorter boy on the head with the key, except that he didn't want to damage it. "This needs two different persons - one to insert the key and the other to chant the words. So just co-operate will you?"  
  
Draco grumbled something under his breath about co-operating with a Weasley, and then, indicated Ron to go ahead and insert the rod.  
  
Ron took a deep breath, and prayed that he knew what he was doing. Then he thrust the pointed end of the key in the dome. Immediately, the engravings on the rod started shining brilliant white. Ron screwed his eyes shut. A wind started blowing violently.  
  
"Now, Malfoy!"  
  
"Oblittero Aegis!"  
  
Draco's voice could hardly be heard over the wind. Suddenly, everything quieted down. Ron opened his eyes. Draco stood with his arms outstretched, eyes fixed on the sky. Slowly he lowered his arms and his gaze returned to Ron.  
  
Ron realized he was still clutching the key, and loosened his grip.  
  
"Ouch!" Ron felt a pain shoot through his hands. Dropping the key gently to the ground, he examined his hands. To his surprise, there were red markings on his hands, in the shape of the strange runic markings, as if he had been burned.  
  
"Bloody hell!" he swore, blowing on them, as they started aching now that he had noticed them. He glared resentfully at the key on the ground.  
  
"What's wrong?" Draco came over to look at his hands. "Sure glad I wasn't the one holding the key," he said relieved.  
  
"Thanks for your sympathy," Ron said sarcastically. Draco shrugged.  
  
"At least you can't hit me now," he grinned.  
  
"You better hope the food is a bit lower today then it's been up to now," Ron said darkly.  
  
A loud laugh sounded behind them.  
  
"Well done boys!" The mirror beamed at them. "You've finished the first task!"  
  
Ron groaned. "I sure hope you've got better news for us this time than you had last time," he muttered.  
  
"I assume that we've got more left," Draco said dispiritedly, ignoring Ron's comment.  
  
"But of course! We've barely started! Now, have you got any idea what my name is?"  
  
"Yeah," Ron muttered. "The Most Bloody Annoying Mirror in the World."  
  
The mirror laughed. "That's what they all say. But Severus and Sirius were thanking me by the time they left. I'm betting that you will too," it winked at them.  
  
"Mirror, we can't live on apples only," Draco told it. "We need good, solid food inside us."  
  
The mirror shook its head. "Boy, you're cute, but you complain far too much." Draco spluttered indignantly while Ron almost choked. *Draco, cute?!?*  
  
"Well, anyway, fine, I'll give you some foodstuff. Here," the mirror waved its hand negligently and a bag appeared on the ground. "There's sandwiches in there. But I warn you, make it last, because I might not give you any more, and you'll have to scrounge for more food on your own."  
  
"Thanks," Ron said, not forgetting his manners, even in his pain.  
  
"You might want to see to those hands, boy."  
  
"Unless you've forgotten, there are hardly any medicine cabinets to be found in forests," Ron snapped at the spirit. The mirror gave him a look.  
  
"And here I was trying to help." It shook its head. "Take care of him, blondie." And with that, the mirror spirit disappeared.  
  
"That was helpful," Ron muttered.  
  
"At least we got some food," Draco said, in a cheerful mood now that he had food. "Come on, get the bag and let's go." Ron shot him a dark look. "Oh fine, I'll carry the bag. Baby," he added, as he shouldered the bag and set off. "Can't even carry a bag."  
  
Ron muttered something unflattering about the Slytherin and set off after him, still clutching his palms. Then he hesitated, retraced his steps and picked up the key. It might come in useful again. Besides, it was probably expensive.  
  
***  
  
As they were walking, Draco in quite a good mood, Ron with the ache in his palms now abating as he was getting used to it, they heard the sound of rushing water.  
  
Draco and Ron looked at each other, then simultaneously set off at a run, towards the source of the sound.  
  
It was a stream, gushing out from a small spring. Ron immediately dipped his hands into the cool water, sighing contentedly as the cold neutralized his burns. Draco unceremoniously knelt next to the stream and started lapping up the water.  
  
"Here pussycat, good pussycat," Ron said, grinning at him. Draco flushed.  
  
"Try drinking some other way then," he snapped, a pinkish tinge staining his pale cheeks. Ron's grin remained in place. Draco turned in a huff and continued drinking some water. A few moments later he turned his head, and found Ron lapping water as well. He raised his eyebrows at him, but Ron merely shrugged.  
  
The continued on their way. To their surprise and delight, the stream fed itself into a river, a mile ahead. When they reached the river, Draco placed the bag on the ground and announced his intention of having a swim.  
  
"Good idea," Ron agreed, and sat down on the floor to take off his shoes. Draco crossed his hands.  
  
"I am *not* undressing with you here," he said firmly. Ron looked up in surprise.  
  
"What, scared of being seen naked?" he smirked. Draco flushed.  
  
"I don't want to parade naked with perverts like you around," he said dignified.  
  
Ron stuck his tongue out. "I don't care what you look like," he said. "I don't go for arrogant gits, and I don't really think you're that sexy Malfoy."  
  
"You're the only one in the whole of Hogwarts then." Ron shook his head disbelievingly.  
  
"You're really full of yourself, Malfoy." He waved a hand around. "Go undress somewhere else then. You got the whole bank to choose from." Draco scowled at him. Ron continued taking of his clothes unperturbed. Draco stalked off muttering.  
  
Ron slid into the water, all his clothes still on the ground, and sighed in pleasure at the coolness of the water. He dived in, enjoying the feel of the soothing water over his naked body. He rose, shaking his hair, droplets flying everywhere.  
  
"I did *not* come here just so you could come spying on me from underneath!" came the furious voice of Draco. Ron opened his eyes. His short dive had brought him right next to where Draco was swimming. He shook his head.  
  
"What's wrong with you? And you play Quidditch. What do you do to change? Go hide in a cubicle? Or are you a girl in reality?" With two powerful strokes Ron made his way over to Draco, and proceeded to dunk him.  
  
He then swam away laughing as Draco came up sputtering, and started chasing him, intending to drown him. Shrieks and yells and threats could be heard from miles away.  
  
"Don't you think we should be getting on with whatever we have to do to get out of here?" Draco remarked at a point. Ron shrugged.  
  
"I don't think time makes any difference. I mean, our parents would probably give Dumbledore hell if we spent ages in here. Most probably we'll find out that we'll only have been gone for a few minutes or days when we escape this mirror."  
  
"If we ever do."  
  
Ron gave him a look. "And so in the meantime might as well enjoy ourselves." He splashed Draco with water, and stuck his tongue out at him. Draco looked surprised at the water, then swam out of reach. Ron was struck at the grace of the smaller boy. It seemed that Draco did everything gracefully. Well, nearly everything.  
  
Ron shook his head to clear his head of those thoughts. Pretty soon he'd start feeling clumsy around the git, he reflected wryly, and it wasn't as if the blond didn't get on his nerves enough already.  
  
Some time later found them shivering together with just their shirts around their waists to hide their nakedness, while they waited for the wind to dry them. Draco absolutely refused to stay in the sun to dry out faster, claiming a delicate pale skin, while Ron hated the fact that the sun made him more freckled then he already was.  
  
So they sat in the shadow of some trees, talking. It was the first real conversation they had which wasn't just trading names. A few insults were thrown in of course, but they were more in fun and good spirit than anything else. Both were feeling happy and in good spirits by their swim.  
  
When they finally set down the road again, they walked in amicable silence.  
  
*It's amazing how something like this got us nearly friendly,* Ron reflected, as they walked, shooting a sideways glance at Draco. *Probably won't last for longer than tonight though.*  
  
***  
  
The mirror paid them another visit that evening, as they had decided to stop and eat.  
  
"You're doing very well!" it chirped. Ron and Draco exchanged looks. This mirror was annoying them both to no end.  
  
"Any more useless advice?" Draco asked it. The mirror beamed at him.  
  
"A hint about guessing my name. Think about what my job is!"  
  
"Being as irritating as you can?" offered Ron politely. The mirror laughed.  
  
"You'll be thanking me by the end," it promised. "Think about what's changed since you came here." Then it vanished. Draco and Ron just bit into their sandwiches, thinking idly over the mirror's hint.  
  
*What's changed? Well, I don't feel like killing that stuck up git anymore,* Ron thought, looking at Draco taking another sandwich out of the bag. Then he realized what Draco was doing and slapped his hand, telling him to leave the rest for the next day.  
  
Draco closed the bag but he wasn't really hearing Ron's words. He was instead thinking about the mirror. *Well, it's certainly changed a few things between us,* he thought distractedly. *Weasley isn't such a bad sort. Pity he's dead poor and all.*  
  
However both boys felt a certain shyness about mentioning their new founded amicability and so both of them avoided the topic. 


End file.
